hold my hand
by Mandy Hartzler
Summary: i suck at summaries. this takes place somewhere around 2x12, before the scene at the end between kara and lena (you'll see why), but greatly disregards everything from that scene in lena's office on. supercorp are cute. we don't like mon-el. that's basically all you need to know going into this tbh. title is from jess glynne's song of the same name.


**AN: i suck at summaries. this takes place somewhere around 2x12, before the scene at the end between kara and lena (you'll see why), but greatly disregards everything from that scene in lena's office on.**

 **supercorp are cute. we don't like mon-el. that's basically all you need to know going into this tbh.**

 **title is from jess glynne's song of the same name.**

 **so trish actually asked for this months ago and i said i'd give it a go because why not, and then it took me forever to think up a decent plot, nevermind actually write it, so. sorry about that.**

* * *

She hadn't really thought much of it. Sure, Mon-El could be pushy, and sure, he didn't always respect her boundaries.

But she'd been so relieved to have someone who understood what being an outsider on Earth really meant, she'd let herself believe that when it really mattered, he'd listen to her. So she'd let him plan their first date.

Which was how she found herself standing outside a cinema complex, looking on in dawning horror as he strode towards the doors.

"Uh, Mon-El?"

"Yeah?"

"What are we doing here?"

He looked from Kara to the cinema building, confused. "We're going on our first date. I looked it up, and this the most common place to have a first date."

Pushing her glasses up her nose nervously, the blonde nodded slowly. "Yes, but I told you. I _told_ you last week that I hate going to cinema dates."

He frowned. "Well what else were we supposed to do?"

She threw her hands up in exasperation. "I don't know! Had a picnic, gone stargazing, anything but this," she gestured towards the building in front of them.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? But we're here now, why don't we just… go in, and you can pick our next date activity."

She was about to tell him no, she would not be going anywhere near that place with him, when her phone pinged with a text from CatCo.

 _AUTOMATED: you have a delivery at the front desk. Please call the desk to confirm action._

Confused, Kara dialled the number for the security desk at the building, and was so enthralled in trying to think who could have sent her a delivery that needed to be approved by security, she didn't notice Mon-El gently steering her up the stairs and into the cinema complex.

"Hi, I just got an automated text about a delivery for me? Kara Danvers."

The tinny voice on the other end of the line paused for a second, and Kara could hear the clacking of keys. "Ah yes, Ms. Danvers. The delivery is from Miss Luthor."

"Lena?"

"Yes, miss. It says here she's sent flowers. Should we send them up?"

"I… yes. Yes, please."

"Very well. Have a good day, Ms. Danvers."

"Yes, thank you. You too," she said as the line disconnected.

Blinking, she looked around in confusion when she found herself inside the cinema, with Mon-El headed towards her, popcorn in one hand and a tray of drinks in the other.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, it was work."

"Not the DEO? We've finally got time for a date, and —"

"No, no it was CatCo. They just needed my approval on something."

Mon-El started making his way towards one of the rooms, juggling the popcorn and the drinks in one hand to give the tickets to the cinema worker.

Kara sighed. "Mon-El, I told you, I'm not going in there."

"Come on, Kara. It's meant to be a really funny film, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. And if you don't, we can just leave. But at least give it a try?"

And she should have just said no, should have left there and then, but niggling in the back of her mind was the thought that she should want this. She should want to go to the cinema with her kind-of boyfriend, and let him pay for everything. She should want to be taken out on a date that was cheesy but thoughtful.

So she sighed, and followed him into the room.

They hadn't been sat for more than ten minutes when she felt his arm creep around across the back of her chair.

Kara chanced a quick, panicked look around her to see if anyone was looking at them, but everyone else's face was turned towards the screen that was showing the trailer for the latest action blockbuster. In the very back of the room, a couple seemed to already be making out.

She swallowed, shrinking into her chair slightly, trying to put some distance between herself the man sat next to her, hoping his research hadn't included that kind of information about cinema dates.

She could feel the dark walls closing in around her as he leaned into the movement, bringing his body closer to hers so he could whisper into her ear.

"My research also said we could do other things on a cinema date if we didn't like the movie."

Kara was up and out of her chair in a flash, barely remembering to choke out a "bathroom" to the confused Mon-El, before making a run for the cinema door.

She didn't look back when she heard him call her name, couldn't stop moving to get out of the suddenly confining room filled with happy faces as they watched the movie.

* * *

She didn't stop moving until she was back in her office at CatCo. Closing the glass doors to the sky behind her, she took one moment to look around herself in stunned silence.

Every single surface of her office was covered in flowers: small flowers, big flowers, fragrant flowers and prickly flowers. It looked like a rainbow had just exploded inside her office, and on top of her desk, beside the vase with a shock of yellow roses, was a card.

 _Thank you for believing in me._

 _-Lena_

Kara slumped to the floor in the one spot of the office that wasn't occupied by plants, and groaned into her hands.

"What am I going to do?"

That was how Alex found her, hours later. Or, well. It was how Alex's phone call found her.

"Kara, where are you? Are you okay? Mon-El just said you ran out on him in the middle of your date."

The blonde let out a strangled laugh. "Yeah, I'm fine Alex. I'm at CatCo."

Silence. Then, "Isn't it your day off?"

"I didn't know where else to go," she admitted softly. She would not, could not admit a part of her had gravitated towards the office because she still hoped Cat would be there to offer her some sage advice.

"Kara. What happened? What did he do?"

"I don't want to talk about it right now, Alex."

Her sister was silent for a few moments, before sighing. "Okay. But please promise me you'll tell me if I need to kill him."

"You will be the first to know."

"Okay. I love you."

Kara smiled into the leafy space of her office. "Love you too. I'll call you later."

* * *

In the end, she didn't go home. She wasn't sure what had made her end up at L-Corp with a copy of the latest copy of the magazine with her article on Lena. Still, she didn't question it as she told the secretary who she was, and was let through.

She hadn't mentioned the flowers, had somehow decided that it was best to pretend none of her afternoon had happened. Lena felt like a safe space, and she didn't want to taint that with the memory of her disastrous date. She could almost feel the phantom presence of hundreds of flowers pressing in on her as she sat on the couch next to Lena and gave her the magazine for her to read.

"It's a good article," the brunette said, smiling at Kara from across the couch in her office. "You flatter me."

Kara shook her head, smiling back. "I only wrote the truth." When Lena's smile didn't fade, Kara sighed. "I'm learning to… keep digging, even when all the evidence points one way." She shrugged. "There's always another side."

"Even when it's hard to find."

"Especially when it's hard to find," Kara agreed. Sighing, she decided to stop avoiding the elephant in the room. "So my office is… it's overflowing with flowers."

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Kara laughed. Lena joined in, but averted her eyes. "You didn't have to of that."

Lena's eyes were back on her when she nodded slowly. "Yeah. I did. Supergirl told me that it was you who sent her," she shook her head softly in disbelief. "I don't know how to thank you."

Exhaling, Kara grinned. "Well, that's what friends are for," she shrugged. The words felt hollow in her mouth.

"I've never had friends like you before," Lena said slowly. "Which is why I have to ask what's wrong."

"N-nothing's wrong," the blonde stammered.

"Kara. Please, I want to be there for you like you were for me."

Kara sighed, sinking further into the couch. "I had a bad date," she finally admitted.

Lena raised an eyebrow, but didn't otherwise comment. "What happened?"

"He never listens to me!" by then, Kara was so focused on her rant, she didn't notice the brunette raising both of her eyebrows at the pronoun, and by the time the blonde looked over again, Lena had smoothed her face back into curious neutrality. "I told him a week ago when we agreed to try dating that I didn't like cinema dates, but…"

"He took you to the cinema," Lena guessed. Kara nodded dejectedly.

"The thing is, I don't even…" Kara sighed. "It's stupid, anyway."

"It's not stupid. He should have listened."

"Yeah, he should have. But my thing with cinemas, it's…" the blonde shrugged, uncomfortable. "I don't even know what it is. I think it's the dark, and the… the implied idea that something more could happen."

This time, Lena couldn't hide the surprise that flashed in her eyes. "You don't want to make you with your boyfriend?" she asked, head tilted to the side, a knowing glint in her eyes.

Kara couldn't help shuddering then. "Not like that. Not… not somewhere I have no say in it. And then… that just made me think that he's going to expect more intimacy soon, and I've never felt comfortable with that." The blonde stopped abruptly, realising what she'd just said, and sighed. "I know it must sound ridiculous to you."

"Not at all," Lena's soft voice reached her almost instantly, and Kara's eyes snapped up, confused. Lena smiled at her. "I'm the same."

"What? I… what?"

The brunette's smile faded as she took in the blonde in front of her, and she reached a hand forward tentatively to grasp the other woman's hand gently in hers. "Kara, is this… is this the first time you've admitted these things?"

"Well, yeah. I just… assumed…"

"I know. It's not easy, but it's okay. You mentioned a while ago that your sister has a girlfriend?"

The blonde nodded slowly, her confusion showing clearly on her face.

"This is similar. Asexuality is… it's less known than most sexualities, but it's just as valid."

"There's a name?"

The brunette laughed, then, her hand slipping from Kara's. "Of course there is. There is nothing wrong with you, or with how you feel. And if your boyfriend can't accept that, well," she shrugged.

The blonde smiled ruefully. "I don't think he'll be my boyfriend much longer," she admitted.

"Good. Then I won't have to worry about him coming here, angry about the flowers."

"The… flowers?"

"I apologise. I misspoke."

"No. No, Lena, what about the flo… you were…?"

"Courting you, yes. I admit, it wasn't exactly subtle, but I wasn't aware you had a boyfriend, and I had assumed that you were interested in women. I am sorry."

"But I thought you just said…"

"Kara, me not wanting to have sex with you — or anyone else, for that matter — holds no weight in my wanting to romantically court you."

Kara blinked owlishly at the other woman, processing her words. "You were actually…?"

Lena shuffled nervously on the couch, unsure if she'd freaked the other woman out. "Yes."

Kara closed her eyes. "I am so sorry, I'm such an idiot!"

"What? No, of course you're not! What are you talking about?"

"I mean, filling someone's office with flowers is so over the top for just an apology, but the thought never even… and now…" her voice trailed off as her gaze returned to the bewildered woman next to her on the couch. "Now what?"

"That depends on you," Lena said smoothly. "I realise I misread the situation, so if you want to have a strictly professional relationship, I understand."

"What? No." Kara sighed. "I'm saying this all wrong. You didn't misread it. I mean… what _now_?"

A smile slowly spread across Lena's features, as she processed the blonde's words and read the truth in her eyes.

"Now, we do whatever we want." Kara smiled at her as the brunette's hand once again found its way into the blonde's, and their fingers entwined together, fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle. "But first, you should probably break up with your boyfriend."

"Right."

Lena chuckled, shaking her head as Kara fished her phone out.


End file.
